I am inspired by many different subjects, though my favourites right now are animals and florals. My path through life has been dotted with everything creative from fashion design to rug hooking. For 15 years I had a rug hooking design business but always found time to paint, then in 2013 I committed to painting full time. Being mostly self taught has come with it's challenges but it also has allowed me to learn from my mistakes and my victories. (click to read more)Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I am definitely what you would call a late bloomer at painting. I was heavily into fibre arts for twenty-five years, and in between that I dabbled in painting. I started taking painting workshops about ten years ago and would periodically pull out my easel and experiment with what I had learned. Then in 2013, I read about daily painting. I started with a small blank canvas every day; what a wonderful concept. I purchased fifty 6x6 inch canvas panels and started painting. In the beginning I did a lot of wiping and sweating but with time I gained confidence. Now the more I paint, the more I want to paint.

Cow 146 In the Clouds(click to view)

Enter to win by clicking on the link at the top of the DPW home page announcing Jean's interview.

Did you have any stops and starts in your painting career?

I had many starts and stops but when I finally committed to painting on a regular basis things changed for me.What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I am definitely most fond of painting with oils. For years I was afraid to even try them, but after much encouragement from a friend I took the plunge. I absolutely love everything about them, a perfect fit for my style of painting. As far a genre goes, I paint a variety of things but most days on my easel you will see an animal or a floral.

I watch artist videos like other people watch movies (I call this a healthy addiction). I also find staying curious keeps me inspired.

What does procrastination look like for you?

I am ok without painting for a couple of days. I would say I don’t have procrastination when it comes to picking up my paint brush. What does happen though is that I will start a painting, end up wiping it and walking away from my easel until the next day.

I wake up at 6:00 every morning, head to the computer to answer emails and then grab my iPad, prop it up at the kitchen table and pull up the photo I am going to paint (which I have usually chosen the night before). I spend a good half hour just observing the photo while drinking my tea and knitting (morning routine). I then head to my easel, and yes, I do paint in my pyjamas everyday.

We live in a very beautiful area with ocean and forest. I find that just walking my dog I get so many ideas for my paintings. I also paint many animal portraits so I take my camera everywhere I go and there always seems to be an opportunity to find a compelling subject. There is also a site I use sometimes that allows the use of their photos.

How do you keep art "fresh?" What techniques have helped you avoid burnout and keep your work vibrant and engaging?

I feel very fortunate. I rarely feel burnout, I just feel excitement. After I finish one painting, I can’t wait to start the next.

For years, I was learning from other artists. Now, I am at a point where I am also learning from myself. Spending so much time alone just putting your vision onto a canvas, you really get to know yourself.

What makes you happiest about your art?

I think because I paint most days, my work has become more rhythmic and in sync… it is a wonderful feeling. Also, I paint one day a week at a studio in town so I am fortunate enough to see people's reactions to my art… there is nothing better.

Thursday, December 22, 2016

Each week we will spotlight a different DPW artist who will give away one of their best paintings.

To enter to win Dana's painting, "Spring Roses" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing their interview.From Dana's DPW Gallery:
After retiring as a children's art teacher, award winning southern California painter Dana Cooper has taken her painting from a hobby to a more full time pursuit. Viewing the world around her now as a daily painter, she is grateful for the opportunity to see and paint the world through the eyes of an artist!Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

As a child, I enjoyed drawing and as an adult, I always found ways to express myself creatively. It wasn’t until my own children were in middle school that I seriously pursued painting instruction for myself. Even at that point, I thought it would only be a hobby. Once I started painting, however, I was bitten by the passion to create art and I have never looked back!

Enter to win by clicking on the link at the top of the DPW home page announcing Dana's interview.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

Though I have experimented with watercolors, acrylics, gauche, charcoal and mixed media, traditional oil paint still is and probably always will be my favorite medium. Genres? Figures and portraiture are my first love but I can be inspired by most any and every subject, for me it’s always about the light.

Which ones have "stuck" and which ones have fallen away?

Watercolors fell away and have never found their way back but I still enjoy playing with gauche, oil sticks, charcoal and mixed medias. I have never worked with pastels, but that medium may be next.

Abstract figurative is a genre that really appeals to me. Though I typically work on the small side, I have some larger, more abstracted figurative work in my studio that may or may not ever see the light of day, but the pursuit of something better keeps me working at it. I think play is important in art.

Making time for my art has never been an issue. At one point in my painting career, I did paint every day which really helped me learn to see and mix color as well as get into good painting habits. Today, staying organized and on top of my life’s responsibilities helps to ensure studio time.

Inspiration for paintings comes from a variety of sources. Travels and photos from those travels have been a huge source for ideas over the years. I always work from some sort of reference photo or from life. One often informs the other.How do you keep art "fresh?" What techniques have helped you avoid burnout and keep your work vibrant and engaging?
Burnout has been an issue at times but I try to paint through it and/or try new mediums and genres. I also try to take workshops from artists whose work engages me to kickstart a new direction.

I am learning that creating a painting is so much more than being able to copy a reference. I am learning that my paintings are more interesting when I start with an intention or an emotion. I am learning that edges are important and that creating an interesting value pattern is important. I am learning that painting is what centers me in ways I keep discovering. And what is most exciting to me is that I keep learning!

What makes you happiest about your art?
The process is what I enjoy most about painting and the results are secondary but when both things are in sync, it’s nirvana! I’m happy when my art connects to others.

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Each week we will spotlight a different DPW artist who will give away one of their best paintings.

To enter to win Chantel's painting, "In Paris" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing their interview.From Chantel's DPW Gallery:

Chantel Lynn Barber resides in Bartlett, Tennessee. Her passion for art began flourishing at age twelve when she studied under various local San Diego artists. Chantel studied art while living in Rhode Island and Keflavik, Iceland. She remained active in local art communities. Chantel opened her own art business "Chantel's Originals" in 2006. Chantel has benefited from workshops and demonstrations with outstanding artists including Dawn Whitelaw and Michael Shane Neil. Chantel is the Tennessee State Ambassador for the Portrait Society of America and is also a member of the American Impressionist Society. (click to read more)Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.
My earliest memories are of painting with children’s watercolor. When I was ten years old I was introduced to oil painting by a neighbor who was an artist. She gave me lessons once a week for the next three years.

Did you have any stops and starts in your painting career?

Most definitely. In the early years I struggled with feeling that I was not good enough and at one point I packed my art supplies away for two years. I also had times where health issues and raising two boys caused me to put my art on hold.

Enter to win by clicking on the link at the top of the DPW home page announcing Chantel's interview.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I have worked in oil, charcoal, graphite, acrylic, soft pastel, mixed media and clay. I have explored painting landscapes, animals, buildings, still life, botanicals, and portraiture.

Which ones have "stuck" and which ones have fallen away?

Portraiture is definitely a genre that has stuck with me! I continue to enjoy plein air painting, along with creating botanical still lives. Without a doubt, acrylic is my favorite medium - closely followed by graphite and soft pastel. I just love working in these! I no longer work in oil.

I continue to delve into the possibilities of the acrylic medium. I am drawn to it’s versatility. I want to develop techniques using acrylic to create plein air pieces on location.

Who or what inspires you most?

People inspire me! I was recently at the Grand Canyon and while everyone else was absorbed in the beautiful landscape, I was drawn to the variety of people all around. Every face was so interesting and unique. I cannot help but be captured by the human spirit and often find myself working out how to express this in paint.

I am a keen observer of things around me. Often seeing a display in a store or watching people walking by inspires me. I am always on the lookout for props to be modeled, hats in particular. Once I have a hat, I look for a model who brings emotion to the piece.How do you keep art "fresh?" What techniques have helped you avoidburnout and keep your work vibrant and engaging?

I learned early on that continuing to work on a painting which has lost it’s freshness is a formula for burnout. If a painting is not working, or the idea has faded, it is recycled or tossed. During the painting process, a stroke that is not reading right is never left on the canvas. It is removed and a new stroke laid down. I am not afraid to wipe a painting down to it’s ghost and start over rather than continue with an over-worked piece. It is not a waste of time and supplies because I have learned valuable lessons about what worked and what didn’t.

I find I am more concerned with the overall effect of a painting rather than getting caught up in the details. I am intrigued by how important controlling values are to the success of a painting. Everyday brings new challenges in this area.

What makes you happiest about your art?

This is a tough one to answer. I love the finished pieces and the way others are blessed through my art. But the process of getting to the finished piece is truly where my happy place is. There is nothing quite like standing at the easel, brush in hand, watching a piece emerge. I am grateful that God has shared this talent with me.

Thursday, December 8, 2016

Each week we will spotlight a different DPW artist who will give away one of their best paintings.

To enter to win Mike's painting, "Yellow Scarf" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing their interview.From Mike's DPW Gallery:

I grew up in northern Illinois where my interest in art took me to Chicago and the American Academy of Art. That was 1976 and at the time, my training focused on watercolor painting which I continued to pursue exclusively for about 15 years. Although I no longer do much watercolor painting, I appreciate its unique qualities and continue as a signature member of the Transparent Watercolor Society of America. (click to read more)Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I attended art school in Chicago at the American Academy of Art a long, long time ago. The routine was fairly structured, life drawing in the morning and a course on fundamentals, including painting technique, in the afternoon. My introduction to painting really began my second year when I studied watercolor painting with Irving Shapiro.Did you have any stops and starts in your painting career?

After art school, I moved from Illinois to Austin, Texas with the intention of becoming a full-time artist. After about a year, the difficulties of making a living became apparent and I started a “temporary” day job. It lasted thirty years. Since retiring five years ago, I have been a full-time painter. Finally!!

Enter to win by clicking on the link at the top of the DPW home page announcing Mike's interview.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I began my painting career as a watercolor painter and after about fifteen years decided to try something new. I did not begin painting in oils immediately, but made the change gradually. I started with acrylics, then water-soluble oils and after about two years took the final step. These days, I paint exclusively in oils.Which ones have "stuck" and which ones have fallen away?

Oil stuck. Charcoal stuck. I haven’t painted a watercolor in about twenty-five years.

I expect to be learning about oil painting for another twenty-five years. The variety of effects: transparency, opaqueness, soft edges, hard edges, temperature changes, color contrasts, the list goes on. I am confident that I will never completely figure it out. But that’s the challenge.

Who or what inspires you most?

I am inspired by many artists, past and present. John Singer Sargent and Nicolai Fechin are two of my favorites.

I sometimes get stuck on a particular painting, but I don’t really procrastinate. I start painting about 9 am and paint in my studio all day. A couple times a week, I get together with a group of artists and paint from a model. Painting from life and plein air has given a huge lift to my studio painting which for the most part is based on photos or studies.What techniques work to ensure that you make time for your art?

Generally speaking, I think that if you enjoy doing something enough, you will find time to do it. It may not always be as much time as you want, but even thirty minutes of sketching can be a satisfying experience. It’s kind of like exercise, the hardest part is often getting started.

I take lots of pictures when I travel. People, buildings, nature. Many of those pictures never develop into paintings, but if I like something, I will usually do thumbnail sketches or value studies to start before beginning the painting. With the basic values established, I am able to concentrate more on using color and playing with edges.

How do you keep art "fresh?" What techniques have helped you avoid burnout and keep your work vibrant and engaging?

I am usually working on more than one painting at any given time. If I lose interest or get stuck on a painting, I usually turn it to the wall and work on something else for a while. I find that sometimes “not working on a painting” is more useful than mindless dabbing of paint on canvas.

Currently, I am trying to focus on good design making better use of a few strong shapes with a variety of edges.

What makes you happiest about your art?

It doesn’t always make me happy, but it always fascinates me. I start a painting with a plan, in charge, and invariably there comes a point when the painting takes on a life of its own. At that point, the painting leads the way, but I am not always sure where we’re going.

Thursday, December 1, 2016

Each week we will spotlight a different DPW artist who will give away one of their best paintings.

To enter to win Kaethe's painting, "The Kayaker" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing their interview.From Kaethe's DPW Gallery:
My name is Kaethe, pronounced "Kathy". I have been A DPW member artist since 2011. I have been painting since the age of 16 and have been on a serious course to become a better painter for the last 13 years. I have had the pleasure of studying with numerous accomplished artists. Peggi Kroll Roberts, Tim Horn and Stanley Goldstein have been my consistent teachers. I have also tried to absorb the wisdom of the art community. My mediums are acrylic and oil. I love painting light and shadow and hope that I can take the ordinary and emphasize its beauty. Thank you for looking at my work! (click to view gallery)Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I loved art since I was able to pick up a crayon. When I was sixteen, growing up in Hawaii, my Mom signed me up for an adult painting class with a local artist, the late Joe Dawson. We had fun painting his formula waterfalls, lava flows, beaches and palm trees. To my chagrin, my mom still has those paintings hung up on her walls. (Please Mom, if you are reading this…)Did you have any stops and starts in your painting career?

I didn’t do much art during my college years, especially during graduate school. I have a Masters in Social Work. I have always taken some kind of art class and was a “Sunday painter” until 2002. I am not sure what happened at that time but my light switch went on. I was excited about painting and wanted to get better at it. I became obsessed and the obsession is even more intense today.

Enter to win by clicking on the link at the top of the DPW home page announcing Kaethe's interview.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I have used oils, acrylics, water based oils, pastels, watercolors, collage and silk screening. I think I have painted almost every genre. I get bored painting the same thing.Which ones have stuck and which ones have fallen away?

I hate to say it but I don’t have any interest in other mediums. Is that a bad thing? I just want to be a better painter. If I had to pick something that kind of falls into the category of exploration, it would be changing up the sizes of paintings and the formats. I have been doing squares and mostly small works. I would like to do larger works. I am going to be working on a 24x42 in the near future which I am pretty excited about.Who or what inspires you?

I live on a boat and everywhere I look, I see a painting. I see paintings when I go for walks with my dog and when I am driving down the street. (I only take photos at the stoplights!) I get inspired seeing other artists’ work. I am hooked on Instagram for that reason alone! I get inspired because of the encouragement I have received from other artists. I also get inspired by listening to art podcasts such as Savvy Painter, Artists Helping Artists, PleinAir, and the Jealous Curator.

I once heard that procrastination often appears when you are trying to be perfect. I suppose when I am trying to find ways to not paint, it's spending time online. When I am ready to get over myself, I can start my work and not think about things too hard.What techniques work to ensure that you make time for your art?

Even though I don’t have a lot of space, I do leave my table top easel set up with my palette box. I often paint in the mornings before going to my day job. This is especially true when I have deadlines. Weekends are usually reserved for painting. I try to paint 'til the evenings when I want to spend time with my husband.

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your painting?
I am constantly observing, taking photos, playing with compositions. I use photo editing tools to help me arrive at an idea. I have thousands of photos that I periodically look through. I look until something excites me.

How do you keep art fresh ? What techniques have helped you avoid burn out and keep your work vibrant and engaging?
I give myself permission to take breaks. I think they are purposeful. I need to pace myself and not feel like a painting machine. I use my breaks to ponder new ideas, look at other art or just do something entirely different away from art, like an art vacation.

I think I am learning how to talk about my work. I have been such a visual person. In my work as a social worker, I am focused on listening to others. My brain is not wired to elaborate and especially not to elaborate about me or my work. Opportunities such as this interview have been presenting themselves to me lately. I recently did a demo for the Tracy Art League (thanks Vince!) and have a talk scheduled for my “30 Paintings in 30 Days” at the Harrington Gallery in Pleasanton, CA. I think there is something in the universe that’s telling me to develop the language around my art.

What makes you happiest about your art?

When someone tells me they have a connection with one of my paintings. That a painting spoke to them in some way and perhaps provided them with a smile. That makes me happy!